Play it cool this summer

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Q: My energy bill was pretty high last summer. Do you have any tips for how to keep comfortable this year and keep energy use low?

A: The first step to lowering energy use during warm summer months is to reduce your home’s solar gains—the heat energy it collects from the sun.

Since most solar gains originate through your home’s windows, awnings are an effective solution. They can reduce solar heat gain by as much as 65 percent on south-facing windows and 77 percent on west-facing windows, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. For a less expensive option, try adding reflective films to windows, and always keep shades, shutters and blinds closed during the hottest parts of the day.

When was the last time you checked your attic insulation? When the sun is beating down, attics can become extremely hot and radiate heat through the ceiling into your living space. A professional contractor can make sure your attic is properly vented to prevent excessive heat buildup, and can measure the R-value of your attic insulation. R-values are a measure of how well the material resists heat flow. In South Carolina, efficiency experts recommend an R-value of 38 for attic insulation, but most homes—especially older ones—fall short.

Another important step to making your home comfortable and efficient is to seal air leaks around windows, doors, plumbing and wiring penetrations to keep warm air out and cool air in. A few dollars invested today in weatherstripping, caulk and sealing foam will pay dividends year-round.

It’s always a good idea to have your central HVAC system checked annually to make sure it’s ready for the high demands of summer. Replace filters regularly and open your supply registers to ensure the system is operating at peak efficiency.

Window units can be an efficient cooling option if they are Energy Star-certified and they are only used to cool part of the home, part of the time. Make sure to seal any openings around the window unit to keep the cool air in where you need it.

Even when your AC is functioning well, it’s smart to use ceiling fans or portable fans. Moving air can make you feel up to 10 degrees cooler, but keep in mind, fans cool people, not rooms. Turn them off when you’re not in the room or you’re just wasting electricity.

For a cooling breeze during summer, make sure adjustable ceiling fans are set to spin counterclockwise (as you look up at the blades). This creates a downward air flow that should make you feel comfortable enough to resist adjusting the thermostat below the recommended summer setting of 78 degrees.

You can also boost comfort and help keep energy use low by reducing the amount of heat generated in your home using these tried and true tips:

  • If you’re still using old-fashioned incandescent lightbulbs, it’s time to switch to LEDs, which don’t generate nearly as much excess heat and use about 75 percent less energy to start with.
  • You’ll also save energy if you make it a habit to turn off lights, TVs, computers and other consumer appliances when you leave the room. Every second these devices are powered up, they are using electricity and generating heat.
  • Grill outdoors or cook indoors with microwave ovens, slow cookers and toaster ovens instead of the full-sized oven and stove. The smaller appliances use less electricity and don’t warm up the kitchen.
  • Don’t run washing machines, dishwashers or clothes dryers during the hottest part of the day.

Send questions to Energy Q&A, South Carolina Living, 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, SC 29033, or email energyqa@scliving.coop.